'''[[Thomas Jefferson|Thomas Jefferson's]] original tombstone''' is no longer on Jefferson's grave.

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[[Thomas Jefferson]]'s original '''tombstone''' is no longer on his grave at Monticello.

[[Image:tombstone.jpg|right]]

[[Image:tombstone.jpg|right]]

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The original tombstone was erected in the family graveyard at Monticello in 1833. Since [[Jefferson's Cause of Death|Jefferson's death]] it suffered damage at the hands of visitors as they chipped off pieces for souvenirs. The owner of Monticello at the time, [[Levy Family and Monticello | Uriah Levy]], moved it to the home of [[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]] where it remained until it was sent to the University of Missouri.

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The original tombstone was erected in the Jefferson family graveyard at Monticello in 1833. Beginning immediately after Jefferson's death, it suffered continual damage at the hands of visitors as they chipped off pieces for souvenirs. According to Ellen Wayles Harrison, [[Uriah Phillips Levy]], who purchased Monticello in 1836, moved the tombstone up to the house to protect it from further damage, and it was later taken by [[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]] to Edgehill for further safekeeping.<ref>Robert H. Kean, [http://tjportal.monticello.org/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=7615 "History of the Graveyard at Monticello,"] in [[Short Title List|Shackelford, ''Descendants'']], 3-26.</ref>

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Once it was decided to build a new tombstone, Jefferson's descendants received many requests for the original marker. University of Missouri was one of them. There are a few reasons why it went there. Missouri was a major state in the [[Louisiana Purchase]], the university was the first in that state, and finally, there were many transplanted Virginians in Missouri. The original tombstone was unveiled at the university on July 4, 1885 and it is now on the Francis Quadrangle. The tombstone at Monticello is a replica of the original.

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A joint resolution of Congress in 1882 provided funding for a new tombstone, which was eventually completed and erected at Monticello the next year. The decision was made by Jefferson's descendants to donate the original tombstone to the University of Missouri; it was unveiled at the university on July 4, 1885, and it now resides on the Francis Quadrangle.

Current revision

The original tombstone was erected in the Jefferson family graveyard at Monticello in 1833. Beginning immediately after Jefferson's death, it suffered continual damage at the hands of visitors as they chipped off pieces for souvenirs. According to Ellen Wayles Harrison, Uriah Phillips Levy, who purchased Monticello in 1836, moved the tombstone up to the house to protect it from further damage, and it was later taken by Thomas Jefferson Randolph to Edgehill for further safekeeping.[1]

A joint resolution of Congress in 1882 provided funding for a new tombstone, which was eventually completed and erected at Monticello the next year. The decision was made by Jefferson's descendants to donate the original tombstone to the University of Missouri; it was unveiled at the university on July 4, 1885, and it now resides on the Francis Quadrangle.